I hopped on my exercise bike and I got out of it more than just a workout. It’s what was said on the bike that stuck with me the most. Things don’t get easier, you just get stronger. Repeat after me, “things don’t get easier, you just get stronger”. The instructor was referring to something as simple as unclipping the shoes from your bike when she muttered these words. She went on to say that if this task, which if you’ve ever tried is tricky at first, is easier today it’s not because it’s gotten easier but it’s because you’ve gotten stronger.
This encouragement can be said about so many different areas of our life. Take the school run for example, it’s a brand new rhythm for us. The first week felt like a lot of planning and work and now, dare I say, we’re finding a rhythm and ease about it. Nothing’s actually changed though, we’re just finding our strengths and routine. It’s not that it’s easier, it’s that we’ve built up stamina and muscle for it.
This life isn’t easy, we all know that. We all experience days of ease and then seasons of hard. So if you’re in the middle of a challenging season, I want to remind you of these words. You’re building up strength that will stay with you throughout your life. The next time you face a similar challenge you’ll have more muscle for it. You’ll be stronger to conquer it because of what you’ve already weathered. Obstacles are actually building strength and resilience in us that we wouldn’t have had otherwise.
As you walk through this week I want you to remember these words. When things start to feel easier, it’s not because it’s easier, it’s actually because you are getting stronger. I think there’s value in acknowledging that. Give yourself a pat on the back and credit where credit is due. We need to realize the strength that we have and remember that we wouldn’t have this strength had we not experienced that tough season. So remember, life isn’t getting easier, we’re just getting stronger through experience, through overcoming, through putting one foot in front of the other and going again.
